Nick returned to Briarwood as promised, but had leave on a mission without getting to meet Madison. She never got to tell him that she loved him. Will he come back to her alive? Or will her love for him remain a secet? NM, post Mystic Fate.

Nick grinned as he rode through the familiar streets of Briarwood. Although the time that he had spent with both his adoptive and real parents was great, he still missed home. He missed his friends, he missed working at the record shop, but most of all, he missed Maddy. They had talked a couple times since he had left nearly a few months before. She had been very excited to hear that he was coming home, and he could tell by the sound of her voice. He knew that coming home meant that he would have to face the music and talk to Madison about where their relationship was going, but he didn't care. He wanted to be with her so badly it hurt. 'I'm coming back home, Maddy, just like I promised.' He had promised her that he would return home in not so many words.

"So you're not coming back," Maddy said.

"I didn't say that," he had replied.

She realized what he meant. "So you are coming back."

"Uhh, what I'm saying is, is that I'd like to come back, if there was something, or someone, to come back to."

"Oh," she said with a grin. "Well, there is. There's Xander, Vida, Chip, Toby, Phineas, Leelee. And ummm…" she paused. She wanted to say his name so badly, but was afraid of what he might say or do. He stopped what he was doing to look at her.

"Um… and me, I want you to come back for me." She felt relieved that she had finally told him that; that she had finally hinted that she wanted more than a friendship with him. He reached into his bag and pulled out the red baby blanket that he had kept. She looked confused as he held the blanket out to her.

"Will you hold onto this?" he asked with a small smile on his face, holding out the special blanket. Maddy knew that the blanket was important to him, and that by him offering it to her to hold onto, it not only meant that he was trusting her with it, but that he would come back. It was a silent vow. She only answered him with one word as she accepted the blanket.

"Sure."

He gave her his trademark grin, got on his motorcycle, and took off. She stood there, watching him ride away, knowing that he would come back home.

"He'll be back," she said, in a voice no louder than a whisper. She turned and headed back in towards the record shop.

Nick reached his destination at last: the Rock Porium. He knew that most likely Madison would be at work, as well as the rest of their friends. He pulled off his helmet and gloves after dismounting from his bike. He crossed the street and entered the record shop. He was instantly tackled by three people, one right after another.

"Hey, Nick! When'd you get back?" asked Chip.

"Yeah, how was your trip and everything?" inquired Xander.

"Have you seen Maddy yet?" Vida asked.

"I got back today, everything was great, and no, I haven't seen Madison yet. I thought that she'd be here working."

"Today's her day off now," Vida told him.

"Ohh, okay. Can you have her meet me at Rootcore? I'm gonna go check on my parents, make sure that they're all settled back in okay," Nick informed her.

"Yeah, sure," Vida replied.

"Thanks, V." Nick said goodbye to his friends and headed out the door for his home. He walked through the portal that took him to the forest. He reached Rootcore in no time.

"Mom, Dad! I'm here! Anyone home?" Nick called out.

"Yes, we're here," Udonna told him. Her face held a look of worry.

"Is everything okay?"

"No, it isn't, son. There's a village that's not that far from here that needs help. Your mother and I have to stay here, and Daggeron's on a mission already. Would you be willing to go?" Lianbow asked.

Nick sighed. He had already told Vida to call Madison and he had no doubt that she was already on her way. He wanted to see Madison more than anything, but he could tell that this mission was one of importance. "All right, I'll go."

"Are you sure? It could be dangerous," Udonna warned him.

Nick nodded. "I'm sure. It needs to be taken care of. I'll be fine, and if I should need help, I'll just contact the others."

"Please be careful. I love you," Udonna told him as she gave him a hug.

"I will, Mom. Don't worry. I love you, too," Nick replied as he moved away from her and hugged his father.

"I'll be back home as soon as I can, I promise," Nick assured them. "If anyone asks, can you tell them why I had to leave?"

"Of course. Be careful, Nick," Udonna reiterated.

Nick grabbed his broom from its place on the wall and left Rootcore, but not before looking back at his parents. "I love you, mom and dad.'

Madison entered Rootcore with very little breath left in her lungs. When she had gotten the call from Vida that Nick was home, she had leaped up and ran all the way to Rootcore, forgetting that she could have used magic to get there. She had missed him a lot. She still had his blanket in her possession and was keeping it until she saw him again. Once Madison regained her breath, she straightened up and saw Udonna on the balcony.

"Hello, Madison. May I ask what you're doing here?"

"Vida called me and told me that Nick said to meet him here. Where is he?" she asked breathlessly.

"He's not here."

"What do you mean 'he's not here'? Vida told me that he was going to be here and that he wanted to meet me."

"He was here, you just missed him. There is a village that is in need of some assistance, and as Lianbow and myself can't go, and Daggeron's already gone on a mission, we asked Nick to do it and he agreed," Udonna explained.

"He told me that he left his blanket with you as a promise that he would come back. He also told me that he missed you very much while we were gone and that he couldn't wait to see you," Udonna told her sympathetically.

Madison nodded, knowing that at least part of her words were true. "I hope he'll be careful."

"I hope that he will be as well. He's very much like his father when it comes to doing things his way; he doesn't care if he gets injured in the process, just so long as they're done."

Madison laughed lightly, knowing what Udonna was talking about. "Yeah, he does. Let's just hope that he doesn't do anything that he shouldn't while he's off on this mission."

A/N- thanks to all those who read! this is only going to be a few chapters long, but I hope that everyone wil keep reading.

The author would like to thank you for your continued support. Your review has been posted.